Tooth brush



y 1 A. J. PLANDING 4 ,239

TOOTH BRUSH Filed Jan. 18, 1954 wuemtoz ANDREW JT Via/ alve Patented May 26," 1936 P I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'roo'rn BRUSH Andrew J. Planding, New York, N. Y.

Application January 18, 1934, Serial No. 707,158

2 Claims. (01. 15-110) My present invention in its broad aspect has arrangement of bristle tufts and rubber members to do with improvements in tooth brushes, and extending completely across the face of the brush; more particularly it is my purpose to provide in Figure 5 is a modification showing the bristle conjunction withthe tufts of bristles a plurality tufts and rubber members arranged in spaced of rubber members in'the interproximal spaces apart rows;- which function to massage the gums, more com- Figure 6 is a modification showing thebristle pletely cleanse the teeth after the manner of a tufts and rubber members arranged in staggered squeegee, more effectively support the bristle tufts rows;

to prevent them from flattening out, and to other- Figure 7 shows a rubber member set in the lu wise provide'a greatly improved and more effi' brush head, and 10 i j cient instrument for cleaning and caring for the, Figure -8 shows a rubber member partially reteeth. moved from the brush head.

I am aware that it is broadly old to provide a In the drawing wherein like characters of. refrubber device for cleansing and massaging the erence are used to designate like or similar parts teeth, but in. the prior proposed devices with which throughout the several views 15 I am acquainted there is a tendency to retain and- The numeral (I) designates the handle of a harbor foreign matter, and there is also a tendtooth brush, and (2) the head part thereof. The ency to induce abrasive action, and the positionbristle or brush mounting is d te y h ing of the cleansing members is such that the um al (3), a d t e y in the handle by (4);

spaces between the teeth are not properly cleaned. These parts are conventional and may be of any 2 My present device, ,on the other hand,-contemdesired shape, size or material. plates .the use of both bristles and rubber, pref- In the preferre form of myinvention shown erablyfin an alternate arrangement so that the n Figures 1 and 2 and 3 the bristle tufts (5) and benefits of vboth are retained, and other advanrubber members (6) alternate, and the rubber tages attained which are not possible where either. members are wedge Shaped shown t the rubber or bristles are used alone. Briefly outb st e tuft S y a ve the er members lined; the principal advantages of my invention and substantially filling e e -proximal are; first, to provide means for massaging the spaces. If desired the brush head may be formed gums when the teeth are brushed so that 1 a with holes (D-see Figures 7 and 8, and the rubhealthy condition of the gums as well as clean ber members formed with Sha ks a ea 30 teeth is attained; second, to provide rubber de- (9) so that byp h the Shanks through the vices in the interprox-imal spaces between the ho es as shown n Fi u e 8, th h ds (9) W111 bristle tufts so that the teeth are more thoroughly en age in the countersunk g ve (I 0) about the cleaned; third, to support the bristles in an efbottom of each hole to prop held the rubber fective position for cleansing by means of the members in place; this form of mounting also 35 reinforcement or supporting action of the rubber pe mits r pla ing ub members When y members, and fourth, to so form the rubber and come worn or old. bristle members that the close spaces between the The advantages of this form of my invention teeth are reached as well as the surface areas. are that it is easily kept clean; will properly 40 Other and equally important objects and admassage the g ms; pr perly an he teeth and 40 vantages of my invention will appear as the dethat includes the hidden spaces and between the tailed description proceeds, but in that connection teeth; the bristle tufts are properly supported by it is to be understood that the scope of my inventhe rubber members, and the fine edge of the tion is only to be determined byreference to the rubber members has a squeegee effect.

claims appended hereunto. Figures 4, 5 and 6 show modifications of my In the drawing wherein is shown the principal invention. In Figure 4 the alternate bristle and form, and several modifications of my invenbrush members are shown as extending comtion;-- pletely across the face of the tooth brush, where- Figure 1 is-a side elevatlmlef atooth brush of as in Figures 1 and 2, these are arranged in two the refillable type, showing the preferred arrangerows. Figure 5 shows the bristle and brush 50 ment of bristles and rubber members; members arranged in more than two spaced rows.- Figure 2 is a plan view of the same; Figure 6 shows the rows of bristles and tufts in :Figure 3 is a detail section showing the bristle relatively staggered relationship. Attention is tuft and rubber members; directed to the fact that in my present invention Figure 4 is amodification showing the alternate the essential features are that the bristle tufts 55.

rise above the ends of the rubber members, and the bristles flare out between the interproximal spaces between the wedge shaped rubber members to substantially fill said spaces, whereas the beveled ends of the bristle members above the rubber members serving to thoroughly cleanse the spaces between the teeth, while the squeegee efiect of the rubber members is to polish and cleanse the plane surfaces of the teeth. The maximum effect is in the combination of the two cleansing elements in a unitary brush.

In practice the brush is operated in the usual way and has all of the advantages herein attributed to it, but since certain changes may be made in form and arrangement it is again pointed out that such changes are permissible provided they fall within the scope of What :is claimed.

I claim;

1. A tooth brush designed to produce a combined brushing and squeegee effect, comprising alternate rows of bristle tufts and rubber members, the bristle tufts rising above the rubber members to lightly engage the teeth and cleanse between the spaces thereof before said teeth are engaged by the rubber members, and saidtufts being beveled above said rubber members to a point, said rubber members being wedge shaped in vertical cross section, and the bristle tufts being flared outwardly from their bases to the tops of the rubber members in conformity with the shape of the inter-proximal spaces between the rubber members. 4

2. A tooth brush designed to produce a combined brushing and squeegee effect, comprising alternate rows of bristle tufts and rubber members, the bristle tufts rising above the rubber members to engage the teeth when the brush is first applied to lightly brush the teeth and cleanse between the spaces thereof before said teeth are engaged by the rubber members, and said tufts being beveled abovesaid rubber members to a point, said rubber members being wedge shaped in vertical section and rectangular in crosssection and disposed with their bases against the head of the brush, and the bristle 

